HANDLING HURTS (10): INSIST ON JOY!

I was walking down the staircase in Fajuyi Hall during my university days. A young man suddenly ran into me from the back forcing me down the stairs. I struggled to maintain a balance. When I got my stability, I turned around and smiled at him asking if he was not injured in any way or if he was fine. I continued my walk. 

The young man ran after me and said, “Who are you please?” I still smiled and wondered why he asked. He then said, “I left my room angry. I was looking for who to provoke so I could transfer the anger. I am shocked you did not get angry. Please who are you?” I smiled at him again. I walked away leaving him in his awe. 

One of the ways to handle hurts is to insist on joy. The enemy wants to use you as a conduit for hurtful words, and actions. You must insist that it will never be your role. If it will not be your role, make sure you do not give room to it around you. 

Do you remember that you are not a thermometer that merely reads the temperature of its environment? You are a thermostat that regulates the temperature of its environment. 

Beloved, you are a conduit of divine things. Refuse the devil the permission to use you as a means to transfer anything ungodly. You only carry and transfer godly things. Let nothing that is not of the Lord have a space to flow through you. Hurting people hurt people. Healed people heal others. It shows in the words we speak. 

The devil needs vessels to transfer his product. Do not let him transport anger bitterness envy or jealousy, or hurting words through you. Do not become a borrowed vessel. 

If you allow the devil to transport his products through you, you will lose divine things. For instance, anytime he succeeds he using you as a borrowed vessel for anger, you will lose peace. If he uses you to transfer hatred, you have lost love. If he uses you to transfer bitterness, you will lose joy or when kindness. Refuse it. Be a conduit of divine things only. 

Now you have to stop telling yourself that “Someone made you do it”. The remote control of your emotions is not in their hands. Does it mean when they press “angry”, you just get angry? Tell yourself: the remote control of my emotions is not with anyone. I choose divine response. 

If a man is carrying water in his cup and I bump into him, it cannot still oil. It will spill what he carries. Carry an overflow of love and graceful speaking. If people bump into you at any time, let graciousness flow from you. You are the blessed of the Lord. You are a conduit of divine things. 

Jesus did not pass on the hurting words they threw at him on the cross. It ended with him. He transmitted love. He did not pass on the pain of the betrayal of Judas or the desertion of those who promised to stand with him. He passed on blessings. 

What has to end with you today? You are God’s ambassador. Refuse to be a spokesperson for hell. 

You are to reconcile men and not destroy relationships. 

All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

2 Corinthians 5:18‭-‬19 NIV

Stop counting people’s sins against them. Do you understand? 

temilOluwa Ola, Eruwa